Is Facial Trauma Surgery painful?

Facial trauma repair surgery is performed under anesthesia, so the surgery is pain-free. However, post-surgery, pain, bruising, and swelling are to be expected but can be managed with pain medication. The amount of pain will depend on your personal pain threshold and also on the extent of your surgery.

How many appointments will I need?

Dr. Cohn will want to see you for your first post-operative appointment, a day after surgery to remove the drains and any dressing and observe your initial recovery, followed by another visit approximately one week after facial trauma surgery to remove any sutures. Your particular follow-up appointment schedule will depend on your progress in recovery and the extent of repair that had to be done. Dr. Cohn will let you know of your next appointment before you leave your current appointment.

How long until I see results?

Immediately post-surgery, your face may look different than it did before your injury. However, given the extent of damage, sometimes multiple procedures can be needed to get your facial features as close to your pre-trauma condition. It will take a few months for the effects of the procedure to show. When you can return to work depends on the injury you had and what type of work you do. You may be able to go back to work in 1 to 2 weeks if it isn’t a physically straining job, or in a longer while if it is a physically straining job. We recommend patients give their face six months to a year to fully present themselves back.

Can I combine Facial Trauma Surgery with other procedures?

It truly depends on the nature of your trauma. For instance, if you have a type of laceration in your nose, where a rhinoplasty might already be needed, it might be a great time to address both at the same time. However, we recommend that purely cosmetic surgeries be done later given the sensitivity of function that might be at stake in a reconstructive surgery like Facial Trauma Surgery. If you have specific ideas of combined procedures, we recommend that you bring them up with Dr. Cohn during your initial consultation so that he can offer his expert advice on what to combine, if at all.

What are the risks associated with Facial Trauma Surgery?

Given the sensitivity of Facial Trauma Surgery, you must know of any risks that might be involved: Anesthesia risks Bleeding Cardiac complications Deep vein thrombosis Facial nerve injury with weakness Fluid accumulation Hair loss Hematoma Infection Nerve injury Numbness or other changes in sensitivity Persistent pain Pulmonary complications Scarring While many of these side effects should heal on their own over time, if you do find yourself experiencing any long-lasting or unexpected reactions, please be sure to contact our office immediately. Further, consider calling 911 if side effects feel very serious.

Facial Trauma

In Long Island

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What is a FACIAL TRAUMA?
Who are the best candidates?
What are the benefits?
What’s the first steps?
What to expect?
FACIAL TRAUMA recovery
What’s the cost?
FACIAL TRAUMA FAQ’s

Introduction

Facial Trauma

Minor skin imperfections such as fine lines, wrinkles, sun damage, acne scars, and pigmentation problems can make you feel self-conscious about your appearance. What if we told you that by injuring your skin in a controlled setting, you can actually improve your skin’s appearance and rid yourself of these skin conditions in as little as one treatment? With Dermabrasion, our team can remove and level the upper layer of skin (epidermis) to give you a refreshed glow and clearer skin.

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The Basics

What is Facial Trauma Surgery?

Facial trauma surgery is a reconstructive procedure that targets the reconstruction of facial features damaged via trauma of any kind. If untreated, facial trauma can cause long-term disfigurement and even loss of function. Your face is a complex combination of minor muscle, tissue, blood vessels, bones, and tendons and needs to be immediately fixed if damaged.

There are two main kinds of Facial Trauma Surgery: Laceration repair scar correction, and fracture repair. Dr. Cohn is well-versed in both the repair of cuts or lacerations as well as fractures or broken bones.

Laceration repair and scar correction

The goal of laceration repair and scar revision surgery is to minimize the scar, so that is more consistent with a patient’s surrounding skin tone and texture while preserving or improving tissue function. As a result, Dr. Cohn’s patients get astounding results making their facial damage from trauma practically invisible.

Scar correction treatment options vary greatly on the type, degree, and placement of the scar. In most cases, Dr. Cohn alters the settling area of the scar by following the natural tension lines within the skin.

Fracture repair

Also called maxillofacial trauma, Facial fractures refer to broken bones in your face. This sort of trauma can be caused by so many things, including car accidents, slips and falls, physical assault, or gunshot wounds. Facial bones are typically more prone to injury because they are much thinner than the other bones in your body. Dr. Cohn also has expertise in fixing and resetting nasal bone areas and other facial areas.

Who are the Best Candidates for Facial Trauma Surgery?

The best candidates for Long Island Facial Trauma Surgery will have the following characteristics:

A broken nose
Deep cuts or incisions resulting in scarring
Fractures that have resulted in impaired function or appearance
Loss or damage of skin as a result of an acid burn or temperature burn
Soft tissue injuries that have impaired function or appearance

What are the Benefits of Facial Trauma Surgery?

Facial reconstruction in Long Island aims to repair facial trauma and restore muscle movement and sensitivity. Some of the benefits include:

Emotional relief
Improved breathing in the case of nasal fractures
Normal facial muscle mobility
Prevention of functional loss
Restored facial proportions
Restored self-esteem
Restored sensitivity and function
Vision enhancement

First Steps

What’s the first step?

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The first step in getting facial trauma surgery in Long Island with Dr. Cohn is to schedule a consultation at our practice. On the day of your appointment, Dr. Cohn will discuss your medical history, and the circumstances that led to the trauma; he will evaluate your injuries, your aesthetic and functional goals, and evaluate your unique facial structure and features. During your physical examination, he will evaluate any scars, and any bone and soft tissue injuries, to see how best to restore function and appearance.

If you are deemed a good candidate for facial trauma surgery, Dr. Cohn will discuss what it involves, the pros and cons of the latest surgical techniques available, and advise what type of procedure would be best for your medical profile. He will also show you target incision areas and manage your expectations on the outcome and reduction of scarring.

Once you are satisfied with the direction of your procedure, Dr. Cohn will create your customized surgical plan. Our Patient Coordinator will then help schedule your surgery, provide you with detailed pre-operative instructions, and help with pricing options. These pre-operative instructions might include stopping certain medications in the days leading up to the procedure, instructions on diet, and facial skin care ahead of surgery.

What to Expect on the Day of Facial Trauma Surgery

On the day of your procedure, Dr. Cohn and our friendly staff will welcome you, and go over your surgical plan once more to ensure you agree. You will then be administered general anesthesia by an anesthetist.

The procedure required for facial trauma surgery depends on the target area, the severity of the injury, and the desired goals. For instance, if a nose is broken and the bone needs to be fixed, a rhinoplasty immediately might not be the goal, but more of a functional approach might be taken. Similarly, for an injury involving the repair of lacerations or tissue damage, Dr. Cohn might need to extract skin and soft tissue grafts. In those cases, Dr. Cohn would have discussed with you during your consultation the target areas to be used for harvesting skin and soft tissue. These areas might be marked on the day of the surgery to ensure that there are no oversights or mistakes.

Either way, the time taken would depend on the complexity of the surgery and the target areas involved.

Facial Trauma Surgery Recovery

Recovery for every patient varies as it depends on factors such as the level of traumatic injury, the area covered, and the extent of the tissue damage. We will provide you with full post-operative instructions, including how long you must take off from work and when you can exercise safely again.

Post-surgery, you will be monitored in a recovery room until Dr. Cohn decides that you are safe to be discharged. We advise that you have a family member or friend available to drive you home in case you are still feeling some of the effects of sedation.

After all surgeries, there is some pain, tightness, and swelling. Some patients also experience mild bruising and numbness. These symptoms are to be expected. It may take a week for the swelling to resolve and around two weeks for the pain to subside. This can be addressed with prescription pain medication given to you at discharge.

Since this is your face, keep in mind that motion might be hard and basic, and even essential tasks such as eating might be a challenge at first. It is recommended to keep your face elevated and sleep on your back during this healing phase.

Note that it may take four to six weeks for the wound to heal completely depending on the size of the area. Also please remember that numbness and swelling take time to recede and often are the last symptoms to resolve.

Your final scarring and results won’t show until a year after surgery.

Facial Trauma Cost

How Much Does Facial Trauma Surgery Cost in Long Island, NY?

The cost of Facial Trauma Surgery in Long Island, NY is widely determined by the extent of the facial trauma, the number of procedures needed, the surgeon’s fees, and other such factors. The fastest way to find out how much it will cost is to set up an initial consultation with Dr. Cohn so that he can create your surgical plan. Once made, our Patient Coordinator will be able to show you the price breakdown for your procedure.

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Rediscover your true self

Why choose Cohn Plastic Surgery?

Dr. Jason Cohn is a Long Island native and AAFPRS fellowship-trained facial plastic reconstructive surgeon based in Smithtown, NY. Dr. Cohn enjoys connecting with his patients in a meaningful, approachable demeanor. He aims to assist you in achieving your aesthetic goals with natural, high-quality results. He is so dedicated to patient care that he executes all surgeries and treatments. Dr. Cohn is also a DO (Doctors of Osteopathic Medicine) and a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons (FACS).

Contact

Schedule a consultation

If you or someone you know is suffering from facial trauma, please do not continue to be miserable on a physiological and psychological level. We would be honored to be your partners in recovery, offering you the personal care that Dr. Jason Cohn at Cohn Plastic Surgery is known for. Please call our practice and/or complete the online request form to schedule your consultation at the earliest.

Facial Trauma FAQ’S

Dr. Cohn will want to see you for your first post-operative appointment, a day after surgery to remove the drains and any dressing and observe your initial recovery, followed by another visit approximately one week after facial trauma surgery to remove any sutures.

Your particular follow-up appointment schedule will depend on your progress in recovery and the extent of repair that had to be done. Dr. Cohn will let you know of your next appointment before you leave your current appointment.
Immediately post-surgery, your face may look different than it did before your injury. However, given the extent of damage, sometimes multiple procedures can be needed to get your facial features as close to your pre-trauma condition. It will take a few months for the effects of the procedure to show.

When you can return to work depends on the injury you had and what type of work you do. You may be able to go back to work in 1 to 2 weeks if it isn’t a physically straining job, or in a longer while if it is a physically straining job.

We recommend patients give their face six months to a year to fully present themselves back.
It truly depends on the nature of your trauma. For instance, if you have a type of laceration in your nose, where a rhinoplasty might already be needed, it might be a great time to address both at the same time. However, we recommend that purely cosmetic surgeries be done later given the sensitivity of function that might be at stake in a reconstructive surgery like Facial Trauma Surgery.

If you have specific ideas of combined procedures, we recommend that you bring them up with Dr. Cohn during your initial consultation so that he can offer his expert advice on what to combine, if at all.
Given the sensitivity of Facial Trauma Surgery, you must know of any risks that might be involved:
- Anesthesia risks
- Bleeding
- Cardiac complications
- Deep vein thrombosis
- Facial nerve injury with weakness
- Fluid accumulation
- Hair loss
- Hematoma
- Infection
- Nerve injury
- Numbness or other changes in sensitivity
- Persistent pain
- Pulmonary complications
- Scarring
While many of these side effects should heal on their own over time, if you do find yourself experiencing any long-lasting or unexpected reactions, please be sure to contact our office immediately. Further, consider calling 911 if side effects feel very serious.